AFFILIATIONS

During June of each year, TEI takes three days to hold a school for the installation of the popular Titan Hollow Bar Micropiles. 2010 was no exception as 22 people from around the country headed to the TEI Rock Drill facility in Montrose, Co. Instructors from TEI, Con-Tech, ECP and local drill contractors presented information in a classroom setting during the morning hours. The afternoon was set aside for hands-on drilling, equipment safety and repair instruction by Con-Tech and TEI employees.

Classes were held in the warehouse at TEI opposed to the previous location at the Holiday Inn. The new setting was very popular with attendees, due to the ability to stop a discussion and taking the entire group outside and explain questions with product and equipment at everyone's disposal. TEI is currently discussing the possibility of creating a full-time classroom in the warehouse that would double as an internal company safety meeting gathering point.

Jeff Tully, ECP, once again presented the ECP Micropier bracketing system. The underpinning system for hollow bar micropiles has gained acceptance in the industry as the premier underpinning bracketing system. The ECP Model 350MP pier bracket was jointly developed by TEI and Earth Contact Products to fill a demand for a high-quality underpinning bracket that can be used in the commercial and residential micro pile markets. The patent pending bracket is based upon ECP's line of underpinning brackets for helical anchors and steel push piers along with TEI's man-portable drill rigs (MP250 and MP260). Terry Burnell of Mountain Highwall Concrete Contractors gave the system great praise and shared the success his company has had since using the Model 350MP underpinning system.

Courses were taught in load calculations, testing techniques, installation methods, and grouting. Instructors included Dan Mclean, Contech Systems, Bill Patterson, TEI Rock Drills, Jeff Tully, Earth Contact Products and more. Terry Brunel, Mountain Highwall, and Kyle Vanderburg, Mays Construction, both local contractors gave case studies on some of their local projects. On Thursday afternoon the entire class was able to visit one of Terry's job sites to watch the installation of some Titan bars in real time. Terry's crew also demonstrated a tension load test on this same project. Norman Parsons headed up the load test and was very informative in his explanation of testing procedures and requirements.

Once again TEI will hold our annual Titan installation school from June 15-17. This school trains the attendees on the proper installation and testing of the Titan hollow bar system. Included is instruction on general load calculations for micropiles, how hydraulic drifters operate and case studies from local hollow bar contractors. This is an excellent opportunity for contractors that are thinking about getting into the hollow bar business to see first hand how hollow bars are installed and what equipment investment is required. The Titan school is also perfect for sending employees to get training, but most of all it is a great opportunity to meet other contractors from around the country and discuss ways for everyone to improve their business. This school is held with the help of Contech Systems, the Titan Ischebek and Obermann distributor for North America.

Washington Middle School was being renovated and it was discovered that it was experiencing some differential settlement. Soil borings indicated the presence of fill material below the foundation. Traditional steel resistance underpinning and helical underpinning were selected originally by the design engineers as the choice of remediation. Upon review of the soil information, UDI was concerned with the capabilities of these underpinning methods due to the soils information provided. It would be possible for the helical piers to encounter cobbles/floaters in the fill thus negating the installation. The use steel resistance piers likewise could become compromised by the nature of the fill. To solve this UDI proposed the installation of small diameter hollow bar micropiles. The main advantage of the method would be the penetration of the fill material into the 'good' material below the cobbled fill.

The passive installation of the micropiles would also allow for a greater factor of safety in strength and parameters. UDI mated Titan's 40/20mm hollow bar micropiles with Earth Contact Products MP 350 Underpinning Bracket (75,000-99,000 lbs capacity) to provide a competent underpinning system. UDI excavated the site and prepared the footings during the first day of operation. Once the brackets were mounted, UDI installed the micropiles, coring and simultaneously grouting the bars as they drilled 35' through the cobbled fill and into the good strata. Upon completion, UDI’s crew was able to stabilize and lift the structure with the MP350 micropile bracketing system. By utilizing this application, UDI was able to complete the project with a three-man crew in just over three days. UDI's vast experience in dealing with different underpinning techniques provided an economical solution to an otherwise difficult situation.